N.J. lottery scratch-off ticket worth $5M won by retired union worker

A retired union worker from Bergen County won $5 million playing the New Jersey lottery’s “$5,000,000 Fortune” scratch-off game, lottery officials said.

$5,000,000 Fortune ticket.N.J. lottery

Robert Stewart bought the scratch-off ticket for the top prize – one of three printed for the game – at The Rivermart in his hometown of Edgewater in August, lottery officials announced last week.

He scratched off the winning combination at the store’s counter before revealing the prize amount, lottery officials said.

Stewart, a retired union pile driver, called his mom to tell her about the big win and had the clerk call the store owner, who rushed to the shop to congratulate Stewart, lottery officials said.

As a regular lottery player, Stewart had bought a few scratch-offs that day, including the $5,000,000 Fortune game, which costs $30 – the most expensive scratch-off ticket offered by the New Jersey lottery.